LAURA

HI MY NAME IS BRAYDEN.  I AM 8 YEARS OLD.  I AM SO LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL, KIND HEARTED FRIEND, LAURA.   I HAVE HAD THE PRIVLEAGE OF HAVING LAURA IN MY LIFE FOR 5 YEARS.  I FIRST MET LAURA AT A MOMS ADDRESSING AUTISM SUPPORT GROUP.   MY MOM ATTENDED THE SUPPORT GROUP AND MY OLDER SISTER AND I ATTENDED THE KIDS GROUP.  I WAS SO NERVOUS TO GO TO MOMS GROUP, BUT THERE WAS A VOLUNTEER NAMED LAURA THAT MADE ME FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE AND AT EASE.  SHE TALKED TO ME LIKE A REGULAR PERSON.  SHE MADE KIDS GROUP FUN.  LAURA THEN BECAME MY RESPITE WORKER.  WE WOULD GO TO THE PARK AND TO THE POND.  I LIKED TO HANG OUT WITH LAURA.  SHE WOULD TREAT ME LIKE I DIDN’T HAVE AUTISM AND THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME.  I NEEDED A FRIEND AND SHE BECAME MY FRIEND.  LAURA THEN BECAME MY IBI THERAPISTS.  I HATED IBI THERAPY BUT HAVING LAURA COME TO MY HOUSE 3 OUT OF 5 DAYS MADE IT BEARABLE.  SHE KNEW I WAS SMART, FUNNY, KIND AND I HAD SUCH A HARD TIME SHOWING WHAT I KNEW.  SHE WAS ALWAYS SO ENCOURAGING AND POSITIVE.    NOW SHE IS MY RESPITE WORKER AGAIN.  I AM THRILLED THAT WE CAN STILL SEE EACH OTHER.  I FEEL SO LUCKY TO HAVE A WONDERFUL FRIEND NAMED LAURA.  A PERSON LIKE LAURA DESERVES TO BE HAPPY ALWAYS.   I WISH HER ALL THE HAPPINESS IN THE WORLD.  MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND ERIC A LIFETIME OF JOY AND HAPPINESS.  LETS RAISE A GLASS AND TOAST TO THE NEWLYWEDS.  CHEERS.